DATE=4/27/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230313
TITLE=BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: UNITED NATIONS INSPECTION OF IRAQ'S SUSPECTED MASS
DESTRUCTION WEAPONS HAS BROUGHT MUCH PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE
THREAT POSED BY SUCH WEAPONS. ONE OF THE LEAST UNDERSTOOD OF THE
THREATS IS FROM BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS. THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION HAS SET THE GOAL OF A REACHING MORE EFFECTIVE
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ON SUCH WEAPONS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
TODAY (MONDAY) SCIENTISTS AND ANALYSTS DISCUSSED THE ISSUE AT A
SEMINAR IN WASHINGTON. CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER HAS A REPORT.
TEXT: THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED SUNDAY THAT A RECENT MOCK
TERRORIST ATTACK WAS USED AS AN EXERCISE TO TEST THE PREPAREDNESS
OF AMERICA'S ABILITY TO HANDLE SUCH AN EMERGENCY. THE FICTITIOUS
BIOLOGICAL WEAPON USED IN THE EXERCISE WAS REPORTED TO BE A
COMBINATION OF SMALL POX AND ANOTHER DEADLY VIRUS.
WHILE THE SCIENTISTS AND PLANNERS AT THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
SEMINAR HERE DID NOT DIRECTLY CONFIRM THE REPORT, BROOKINGS
INSTITUTION SCHOLAR JOHN STEINBRUNER INDICATED SUCH NEW DEADLY
ORGANISMS MIGHT BE POSSIBLE.
/// STEINBRUNER ACT ///
THE UNDERLYING SCIENCE IS EVOLVING, AND CONCEPTUALLY IT
IS POSSIBLE TO IMAGINE HOW YOU MIGHT CREATE A REAL MASS
DESTRUCTION AGENT. I MEAN A REAL ONE WHERE YOU ARE
INVOLVING VERY, VERY LARGE CASUALTIES. NOW NEITHER
NATURE NOR ANY KNOWN PROGRAM HAS DONE SUCH A THING YET,
BUT CONCEPTUALLY IT IS REASONABLY CLEAR HOW, IN
PRINCIPLE, IT MIGHT BE DONE. THEREFORE THE BUSINESS OF
PREVENTION HAS A HIGHER LOAD ON IT THAN IT DID EVEN FIVE
YEARS AGO.
/// END ACT ///
THE THREAT OF TERRORISTS USING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS WAS DISCUSSED
AT THE SEMINAR. THE ONLY KNOWN TERRORIST USE OF GERMS IN THE
UNITED STATES WAS A MASS, NON-FATAL FOOD POISONING BLAMED ON AN
OREGON CULT.
MICROBIOLOGIST RONALD ATLAS SAYS USING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS DOES
NOT BRING IMMEDIATE RESULTS -- INFECTED PEOPLE MIGHT NOT
BECOME SICK FOR WEEKS.
/// ATLAS ACT ///
FOR A TERRORIST WHO WANTS TO MAKE A STATEMENT, THAT MAY
NOT BE A GREAT WAY TO DO THINGS, SO WE ARE MORE LIKELY
TO SEE THE HOAXES WHERE SOMEONE THROWS STRAWBERRIES DOWN
AND YELLS, 'ANTHRAX' (A PATHOGEN), AND RUNS AWAY AND
SPREADS TERROR THROUGH THE SURROUNDING POPULATION.
/// END ACT ///
/// OPT /// BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS EXPERT COLONEL DAVID FRANZ SAYS
TERRORISTS PROBABLY WOULD REQUIRE HELP FROM A GOVERNMENT TO USE
GERMS AS A MASS KILLER.
/// FRANZ ACT ///
THE TRUE MASS CASUALTY ATTACK WITH POTENTIAL TO KILL OR
INJURE THOUSANDS OR EVEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WILL PROBABLY REQUIRE STATE SPONSORSHIP, AND,
FORTUNATELY IS THE LEAST LIKELY TO OCCUR
/// END ACT ///END OPT ///
THE SCIENTISTS AND ANALYSTS AGREED THAT EFFORTS AT PREVENTING
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS USE SHOULD BE INCREASED AND A STRONGER
INTERNATIONAL TREATY AGAINST DEVELOPING GERM WARFARE AGENTS IS
NEEDED. BUT THEY ALSO AGREED THAT BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS
ARE THE HARDEST TO DETECT -- THE FACILITIES NEEDED TO PRODUCE
THEM ARE SMALL, AND MOST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS ALSO HAVE
LEGITIMATE USES. (SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/MMK
27-Apr-98 2:47 PM EDT (1847 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.